TALK WITH EARTH GOD (1)

Despite her words, Carrot's eyes didn't spark a bit of superiority. She was not the type to underestimate her opponents just because of their ranks.

She treated everyone to an equal degree. With that, Alab could see no trace of conceitedness in Carrot's amber eyes.

Truth be told, Carrot wasn't confident of her triumph either. An unknown danger somehow strangled her as she looked at the indifferent eyes of Alab.

Somehow, she knew that it wasn't going to be an easy fight.

"I won't be absent", Alab responded, and then outright pulled himself from his seat.

The class had already ended and the students had begun evacuating the room. They couldn't wait to take a rest in their respective barracks, idling in wait for nighttime where they would be given an opportunity to converse with the respective god of their planet.

In pure contrast, the day was still far from over for Alab. There was so much time remaining and he couldn't waste any time.

Immediately, he stepped out of the room whilst Girth leaped with delight.

"Finally, the class is over! KEKE!", Girth was beyond elated.

Before Alab could exit the room, a nudge from his shoulder halted him. Alab could feel no ill intention from the nudge and then he slowly turned his head to the person behind him.

Or rather, an elf.

'Felix?'

Felix had lowered his head, fidgeting as he timidly looked up to Alab. The moment his eyes met Alab's, he would retract his gaze and fidgeted for more.

Felix was overly introverted whilst Alab was apathetic and enigmatic. One was too shy to initiate a conversation whilst the other was too uninterested.

"ke ke", the deafening hymn of elation by Girth reverberated in the area. He was already on the stair leading to the second floor, leaping as he swayed his hands. He didn't even mind waiting around for Alab or Felix.

Carrot who lingered in check of overlooked items was the last to leave the room. Upon seeing that everything was organized, Carrot sighed in relief.

Turning her head to the door, the image of Felix and Alab who were at a standstill, sent curious thoughts into her mind.

"What are you guys doing? garchu?", Carrot stood adjacent to them which startled the worrywart, Felix.

*cough*

"Uhmm... N----nothing, I just have something to say to Mr. Alab", Felix stammered.

Hearing his words, Carrot didn't find any purpose to hang around any longer. She was not the nosy type to stick her nose into others' business.

Nodding her head, Carrot left the room.

Now, it was just Felix and Alab... and the chirping of birds...

Alab wasn't the type to start a conversation. He just looked at Felix who was timidly recouping his courage to speak.

A minute or so had passed and Alab was reluctant to waste the time. He could see that Felix had something to say but Alab couldn't loiter for more.

Each second mattered to him.

'He doesn't remember me, does he?', Felix pondered.

Despite nudging Alab, Felix was hesitant to initiate the conversation. Undesirable thoughts kept running in his mind.

'What if he doesn't know me? What if he thinks I'm just a burden? What if...?'

Felix grew disoriented. However, the moment he saw that Alab turned his back and was about to leave the room, Felix knew he couldn't hesitate any longer.

His organs were quick in excreting the nerves he needed.

Trembling, Felix muttered.

"Mr. A---Alab, do you remember me?"

Alab halted in his steps.

Felix couldn't peer through the reaction of Alab. He just knew that his words were enough to hamper Alab and that could suggest that Alab indeed knew him.

Still, he needed to verify his thoughts.

Felix threw another remark.

"D---during the entrance examination... In the Owl Bear Dungeon...", Felix hesitated. Alab remained unconcerned by his words which made Felix feel dubious as to whether it was really Alab or not.

'No... No! It is him, I'm certain', Felix shook his hesitations as the shaft of daylight which acted like a spotlight clearly underlined the image of Alab that day in the Owl Bear Dungeon.

'He looks exactly like him, I can't be hesitant about that', Felix steeled.

Having settled his thoughts, Felix deepened his voice.

"You, you are the one who saved me, right?", Felix held his breath in wait for a response.

However, instead of a response, Alab eluded him as he shortly exited the room, threading the empty hallway.

The students had already vacated the building. It was only Alab and Felix on the 3rd floor.

Watching Alab leave, Felix clenched his fist.

Somehow, he expected that Alab wouldn't affirm or even respond to him. In that short time that they attended classes, Felix discerned that nearly nothing piqued the interest of Alab.

Even Girth who had been with Alab for a while now couldn't budge Alab. Their interactions were purely one-way. It was even a shame to call it interaction as Alab's responses were minimal.

Girth's nagging couldn't bring out a decent conversation with Alab.

'Then it's even worse for me who he barely knew', Felix was dismal.

Still, Felix couldn't let this opportunity out of his hands. Ever since he was saved by Alab during the entrance examination, his gratefulness had been suppressed and kept unto himself. He had no way to tell it to his savior and now that an opportunity came, he knew he had to tell his piled-up thoughts now.

"I know that it was you... For that, I'm really thankful that you saved me. I---I didn't know your reason for saving me but still, I am beyond grateful...."

Alab stepped on the stairs, his image blurred and eventually became hidden behind the wall. Still, Felix persisted.

In a loud yet gentle voice, he exclaimed.

"It was the first time that someone ever saved me since entering this world... On the next assessment, I promise. You won't have to save me twice... I... I will be stronger!", Felix breathed raggedly as he released all his thoughts.

He unreleased the tension in his clenched fist as he eventually plastered a soft smile.

Felix was relieved.

He had finally met his savior and expressed his gratefulness.

"I said it!", Felix patted his shoulder.

----

Meanwhile, Alab took the stairs downward leading to the 1st floor. The voice of Felix was audible despite the distance.

It was gentle and soothing which could make one feel pleased. However, Alab was different.

He mustered his typical enigmatic expression as he recalled the past events during the entrance assessment.

3 days ago, when the assessment was about to end, Alab heard turmoil erupting deep in the [Owl Bear Dungeon (C)].

Only a few minutes remained before the assessment ended yet Alab earned only a number of mana crystals. He was certain that there would be at least two Owl Bears at the source of the turmoil.

Swiftly, Alab commanded Locust to dash into the area, and there they found it, a young dark elf being assaulted by 10 Owl Bears.

It was Felix.

With ripped arms, Felix was wailing for help.

It was only a split moment and Alab decided to save him. It was not that he felt pity but rather...

"I cannot be the bottom ranker again."

Alab didn't want to be the bottom ranker. He was not confident of his strength to survive the incoming assessments yet, therefore, he needed something to ensure his survival.

And that was where Felix entered...

When things come to shove and Alab was ranked bottom, he would not hesitate to push Felix to the bottom of the list, regardless.

However, the rules of the second examination were different. Only 800 students would survive and Alab had to ensure that he would be one of them.

"I have to get stronger", Alab steeled his resolve.

Exiting the building, Alab glanced at his inventory where a key and a compass were along with the other items.

Alab scanned the items.

[Barracks Key (E)

Description: Can be used to open the Planet Earth barracks.]

[Academia's Compass (C)

Description: Can be used to locate a building or area within the perimeters of Academia.]

The items were no different from normal copper keys and compasses. Shortly, Alab used the [Academia's Compass (C)].

"Planet Earth Barracks"

As his words fell, the arrow in the compass pointed in the north direction.

"It seems that our barracks is indeed shabbier", Alab muttered as he looked ahead to where a desolate town was at.

Even from a wide distance, Alab could scent the leaking stench from the town. A few people were going in and out of their barracks, dismal as they witnessed the bleak state of the town.

Still, remnants of its prosperity were evident in the scattered golden rubbles. Even the shabby buildings had a golden coating that was concealed behind a loaded moss.

Behind the town, the wall of the outer core stood still. Alab tilted his head to the west where another set of fairer barracks were at. On the South, the road leading to the prosperous town of the Outer Core filled with natural citizens of this world.

Alab didn't plan to visit it for now. Collecting his thoughts, Alab headed straight toward the bleak town where the sluggish Girth was walking towards.

His leap of joy had long left his body. His excitement died out as he saw the barracks they would be staying in.

"Ke?! It's poor!", Girth wailed

On the other hand, Alab didn't dawdle on such matters for long as he directly headed into their barracks.

"I still have to restore my mana", Alab muttered.